Tunneling

Foundation Repair Using Tunneling

Granite Foundation Repair is the right choice when your Dallas or Plano home’s foundation repair calls for tunneling. Tunneling is a clean, efficient way to install interior piers during foundation repair.

Tunnels eliminate the need to put holes in your floor. A tunnel system measuring three feet by three feet is dug by hand under the foundation to provide access for pier installation. Piers are then installed at an engineer specified spacing.

Why Do I Need Tunneling?

Tunneling is a personal choice. Foundation repair tunneling assures that elegant flooring is preserved during the foundation repair process.

Why are Interior Piers Required?

Properly reinforced concrete floors are surprisingly flexible. This flexibility limits the lifting effect of exterior piers to a distance of 8-10 feet inside a house. The only way to lift the center of that sunken interior room is with interior piers.

The Alternative to Tunneling is Jackhammered Access Holes.

The installation of interior piers by jackhammering is a dusty, noisy and messy process. After the concrete is removed, concrete pier installation requires the removal 16 to 20 cubic feet of dirt per pier. Steel pier installation requires the removal of 8-10 cubic feet of dirt. Due to the noise and mess, homeowners often move until the job is completed. After the piers are installed, the holes are filled with dirt and the hole is covered with re-bar reinforced concrete.

An engineer may require that the tunnel be backfilled. Backfill of a foundation repair tunnel can be accomplished with dirt or with a slurry composed of soil, cement and ash. Alternatively, an engineer may specify that the tunnel be left open, and a drain or sump pump installed to remove accumulating water.

What is The Cost of Foundation Repair Tunneling?

Tunneling is a tough job that requires a lot of manual labor along with special OSHA approved safety considerations. Tunneling cost in Dallas Fort Worth is typically in the range of $250 to $350 per linear foot of tunnel, plus the cost of backfill. Depending upon the type of flooring that is being preserved, and the cost of living away from home, the cost of the tunnel excavation may not be as high as it first appears.